Chico for Mayor

Gery’s Vision

My vision for Chicago is shaped by my experience serving this city. Throughout my career I’ve had the privilege of holding positions that allowed me to see the city from many different perspectives, whether it was in the Mayor’s Office, Chicago Public Schools, the Park District, the City Colleges of Chicago, or the Illinois State Board of Education. In each of these positions, I worked with people across the city.

As a lawyer, I’ve worked on projects that have helped invest in communities through affordable housing, building shopping centers, constructing and renovating schools and health centers, and investing in infrastructure. I’ve had direct experience with the range of issues the Mayor of Chicago faces on a daily basis.

Being part of the civic life of Chicago has afforded me the opportunity to be involved in issues that people face every day. I was one of the founders of the Mexican-American Chamber of Commerce (now the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce) and formerly served on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Urban League. I’m a member of the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation, which provides legal aid to victims of domestic violence, seniors, and families in crisis. I’ve been a member of the boards of both the Field Museum and the National Museum of Mexican Art. I served as Chairman of the Erikson Institute, a leader in early childhood research, education, and direct service programs. I was also a member of the Board of Trustees of DePaul University and I sit on the Chancellor’s Advisory Board at UIC. I’ve seen the positive impact of higher education for our students and our city.

If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that Chicago is safer and stronger when we’re working together. We are a global city, but we’re also a city of neighborhoods. Without connecting our neighborhoods to downtown, we cut people and communities out of our city’s growing prosperity. In fact, if we don’t invest in people, we diminish everyone’s prosperity because as a city, we are as connected to each other economically as we are through our identity as Chicagoans.

We cannot lose sight of each other, and as Mayor, I will strategically use not only our resources, but those of the business community, financial institutions, and philanthropic organizations to generate wealth in communities that have been overlooked for far too long. At the same time, I will work to maintain Chicago’s reputation as a place friendly to businesses that create job growth. We will continue Chicago’s trajectory as a technology hub. Finally, Chicago will grow in prominence on the international stage, both in terms of tourism and business.

I will be ready on day one—in fact I’m ready right now—to serve the citizens of this city and make Chicago a better, more equitable place to live, work, and raise families. I’m an optimist by nature, and I believe that our best days are ahead of us, but we have to work to make that a reality. I’m ready to work with you.

PAID FOR BY GERY CHICO FOR MAYOR. CONTRIBUTIONS ARE NOT DEDUCTIBLE FOR TAX PURPOSES. A COPY OF OUR REPORT FILED WITH THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS IS (OR WILL BE) AVAILABLE ON THE BOARD’S OFFICIAL WEBSITE (WWW.ELECTIONS.IL.GOV) OR FOR PURCHASE FROM THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.